Chapter 61: Is the New Item So Good It Makes You Want to Kneel and Cry?
Irimi Kaya took the food she had purchased and stood to the side, about two body-lengths away from Ryohei's food cart. This distance was perfect; it wouldn't interfere with his business, but it was close enough for her to "maintain order." Unlike last time, she planned to stay until they closed up shop. Standing around for two or three hours would be unbearable, so she took an eyeglass case from her pocket, removed a pair of sunglasses, and elegantly placed them on her nose.
"Itadakimasu~," she murmured, and eagerly took out the Omurice she had bought. Even though it was in a takeout container, the aroma was still incredible. It was a perfect combination of savory chicken rice, creamy egg, and the deep, rich demi-glace sauce.
She took her first bite. The soft egg, the flavorful rice, and the profound sauce all combined into a taste of pure, comforting perfection. It was warm, savory, and incredibly satisfying. She was instantly overcome.
Delicious, so incredibly delicious!
The first time she had tasted his food, she had been shocked and excited, a whirlwind of emotions washing over her. The second time, sharing it with her subordinates, had brought a sense of joy and hope for the future. Her grey world had begun to fill with color.
But this time, with no other distractions, she could immerse herself completely, purely enjoying Ryohei's cooking.
It was as if she had been transported to an unbelievable world of food.
Before her stood a mountain. But it wasn't a mountain of rock and earth; it was a giant, perfect Omurice, as large as a hill, its peak disappearing into the clouds. A river of warm, glowing demi-glace sauce flowed down its sides. An incredibly rich and tempting aroma wafted down from the summit, making her drool. She had become a gourmet hunter, and this was her ultimate challenge.
Equipped with climbing gear, she began her ascent. When the path ended, she began to climb the fluffy, golden egg itself, using it for handholds. Just as she was about to collapse from exhaustion, she finally pulled herself over the top. She breathed a long sigh of relief, a triumphant smile on her face. At the summit, she found a crater, not of lava, but of the most perfectly cooked, savory chicken rice she had ever seen. The sight was so beautiful and comforting that she was moved to tears.
Back in the real world, the members of the Black Dog crew watched their leader, Irimi, eating her Omurice with a look of pure bliss, and they couldn't stand it any longer. Those who had managed to buy their food quickly stepped to the side, put on their own sunglasses, and began to dig in.
"Mmm… so delicious!!"
"What is this flavor?! It's so good my legs have gone soft!!"
"I can't stop… I really can't stop!"
"This is happiness!!"
"This is what it means to be alive!"
"My dream has become a reality! Arigatou!"
"I can finally eat until I'm full! This is amazing!"
Their reactions were far more intense than those of the human customers. Ryohei and Yurine couldn't help but glance over at them a few times.
In the queue, the members of the Demon Ape crew watched the Black Dogs calmly put on their sunglasses before eating and were a bit confused. Are we… are we supposed to put them on now? They didn't normally wear sunglasses, but their boss, Koma, had told them to wear a pair if they planned to eat at the stall, to avoid revealing their kakugan. Seeing the other ghouls put them on, they followed suit.
Of course, this had led to them being mistaken for Yakuza and questioned by the police earlier, but they didn't care about that now. Their attention was completely captivated by the glowing food.
I want to eat, I want to eat, I want to eat—! The demon of appetite was about to take complete control. Behind their dark sunglasses were pairs of glowing red and black eyes.
The other Ghouls from Anteiku, who had been briefed by Yoshimura, also put on their sunglasses as they waited, their mouths watering from the aroma and the ecstatic reviews from the Black Dog crew. They had been skeptical when the Manager told them the news—human food that Ghouls could eat, that was unbelievably delicious. If it hadn't been the Manager himself telling them, they would have asked if he'd had too much to drink.
But now, they were here. And the aroma… it was an incredible scent they had never experienced before, a smell that seemed to penetrate their very souls and awaken a ravenous hunger. Their bodies were craving the food in those containers. And the reactions of their bodies could not lie.
The Anteiku Ghouls were shocked, excited, almost delirious. As Ghouls who yearned to truly integrate into human society, they were tired of everything that came with their existence. They had always hoped, always dreamed of another food source. And now, their grey world had suddenly exploded with color.
The moment they finally tasted Ryohei's cooking, some of the Ghouls were so overwhelmed with emotion that they involuntarily knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces from behind their dark sunglasses, sobbing with pure joy.
This, of course, completely bewildered the human customers waiting in line behind them.
What's going on?
Why are there so many weird customers today?
Do you have to wear sunglasses before you eat now? Does it make you look cooler?
And now they're kneeling and crying while they eat?
Oh my god! Is the new item so good it makes you want to kneel and cry?
Sugoi!
As expected of Chef Ryohei!
The human customers, their imaginations running wild, were now even more excited and impatient than before.
Damn it! There are so many people in front of me!